NARA Records Schedule

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Records Schedule

The NARA Records Schedule provides mandatory instructions (“disposition instructions”) to all NARA staff regarding how to maintain the agency’s operational records and what to do with them when they are no longer needed for current business. The disposition instructions state whether individual series of records are “permanent” or “temporary,” as well as how long to retain the records. Records with historical value, identified as “permanent,” are transferred to the National Archives of the United States. All other records are identified as “temporary” and are eventually destroyed in accordance with the Records Schedule. The 19 chapters in the Records Schedule correspond to the program and administrative functions performed by NARA.